Review - Falling from the Sky by Nikki Godwin

Title: Falling from the Sky

Author: Nikki Godwin

Release Date: February 21, 2014

Pages: 217

Goodreads Rating: 4.47/5 Stars

My Rating: 4.5/5 Stars

My Content Rating: YA (LGBT; Nothing more than kissing between the main characters; Sex is discussed by other characters, but not shown)

Summary from Goodreads:  All stability in sixteen-year-old Ridge McCoy’s life crashed and burned in the plane crash that killed his dad. This summer-long basketball camp is his chance to improve his skills and escape his problems back home. But his summer plans take a turn in an unexpected direction when he meets Micah Youngblood, the guy who runs the carousel at the local mall and has a reputation for devouring straight boys’ heterosexuality for breakfast, alongside his chocolate chip pancakes. 

Ridge needs a way to avoid the guys at camp, whose only quest for the summer is to drown in beer and hook up with girls. So when Micah offers to explain how the ten unique horses on the carousel are significant to his tribe, Ridge takes him up on it. Still, Ridge can't decide if this is a bad thing or not. All he knows is that he hasn’t felt this alive since his dad fell from the sky, and as the horse adventures come to an end, Ridge finds himself falling as well – for Micah.

I have become such a fan of Nikki Godwin.  After I read American Girl on Saturn, I couldn't help but buy her other two books too.  Now I find myself stalking her blog and Goodreads to find out when something new is coming!  Falling from the Sky was no exception - I loved it!!

The negatives:

• Repeating metaphor.  This is one thing that I've noticed Godwin does in her books that I'm actually not that fond of. She picks a theme or metaphor (in this case the phrase "falling from the sky" which is used both to represent Ridge's father's airplane crash and his own life, which has been spiraling since his father's death) and she repeats it often - a little too often, in my opinion.  I actually really like the themes of her books - I just wished they were added a bit more subtly.
• The most understanding best friend ever.  While I LOVED the character of Terrence, Ridge's best friend, he just seemed a little too overly and quickly accepting of Ridge's questions about his sexuality.  He absolutely never flinches when Ridge confides that he might have feelings for a boy, even though he's never considered himself to be gay. In fact, he seems to accept this as though it was the most natural thing in the world and reassures Ridge at every turn.  Now, don't get me wrong - I think that this sort of friendship is fantastic, I just fear that it's a tad unrealistic.  Unless Terrence had a great relationship with a gay family member or friend or something (and there doesn't seem to be any indication that this is the case), it seems like this information would give him some pause.  At least some sort of, "Wow!  Really?" And then he could move on to total acceptance.  It would just have felt more real that way.

What I LOVED:

• Ridge and Micah.  I absolutely LOVED that the romance between Ridge and Micah was slow burning and incredibly realistic.  Ridge didn't consider himself gay - he didn't ever expect to fall for a guy.  But he found himself drawn to Micah in a way that he eventually couldn't deny.  At the start of the book, Ridge is miserable.  His life at home has pretty much fallen apart since his father died in an airplane accident, and his relationship with his girlfriend has turned into nothing more than an act (for both of them). Ridge faces life with dread. Micah, on the other hand, is full of life and energy (sometimes almost too much energy - he's near to bursting!). He pulls Ridge out of his funk and shows him how to enjoy life again.  How to truly live. Ridge starts to realize that, for the first time since his father died, he's happy. And he doesn't want to give that up.  But he's afraid of what these feelings mean, especially when he starts to find himself not just enjoying Micah's company, but attracted to him - and then, feeling something even deeper. I found myself drawn into their relationship, living the joy and the pain with them!
• Secondary characters.  There were some great secondary characters in this book as well.  Most prominent were Micah's little neices, Abby and Jade.  They were just all kinds of adorable, and I loved how they sometimes forced Ridge to assess his relationship with Micah in a way that only the honesty of little children can.  Then, of course, there was Terrence, who I mentioned above.  While I thought his acceptance of Micah and his confusion was a little unrealistic at times, I couldn't help but love him.  He was the perfect best friend - supportive and always there for Ridge to talk to. I also really enjoyed Micah's friends and family. These characters all gave Ridge and Micah's story a dynamic background.

I highly recommend Falling from the Sky, especially if you're a fan of LGBT contemporary.  This story is sweet and poignant, and will make you think.  A fabulous combination!  4.5/5 stars.